PATTERNS AND TONES

"Hula-Hoop" 2018 20 x 16" Acrylic Well, I couldn't keep myself away from the paints... There is something so enjoyable about applying paint. I dive deeper into shapes and forms. Expressing my creativity through this medium has always been something I come back to time and again. It fulfills a need that isn't met in my photography. I was given a piece of advice a very long time ago that I still adhere to. "If you create an image that really resonates with you, reproduce it in may different mediums." Time has kept me from producing a large body of work. Painting takes time. It's not a snap shot. It requires hours of looking, adjusting, applying and contemplation. It is a meditation onto itself. With a very packed schedule already, I couldn't imagine where I was going to be able to carve out a chunk of time to do the work. But then I thought of Ruth Asawa , who with six kids wove her wonderful sculptures after everyone went to bed. I thought ...

"4th Annual Bob Baker Day No. 1" 2018 My fascination with carnivals, puppets and handmade continue in documenting the festivities annual held in honor of Los Angeles's favorite puppet master Bob Baker. As always, crowds gathered in front of his famed Marionette Theater on 1st Street to celebrate the memory of a man who gave so much to the children of Southern California. I was honored to get to know Bob before he passed away 4 years ago, and documented him in several blog entries for Patterns and Tones. In " Bob Baker and His Magical Marionettes ", I talked with Bob about the evolution of his amazing puppets and the space he ran for over 54 years. Then he gave me a tour of his incredible warehouse as well as gave me a demonstration of how to make a puppet breath in " Bob Baker: The Making of His Magical Marionettes ". Now I too celebrate this wonderful artist by documenting his yearly birthday celebration ! I was happy to see Bob's m...

"2nd Annual Bob Baker Day No. 1" A few months ago my daughter and her pals attended the 2nd Annual Bob Baker Day celebration. The carnival had spilled out onto the street in front of The Bob Baker Marionette Theater  while live performances celebrating Bob's birthday were happening inside.  The overhead freeway was a perfect shelter from the sun. While the little ones crafted masks and played with their puppets, musical performances and puppet shows were presented on a small stage. Special guests included puppeteer and performance artist Paul Zalooom , the amazing costumed characters from Yo Gabba  Gabba , juggling by Lindsay Benner and strangely enough LA's own barbie doll, Angelyne ! I first blogged about Mr. Baker and his marionette theater in " Bob Baker and His Magical Marionettes " where I was allowed a peek behind the curtain. The following year Mr. Baker graciously allowed me into his magical puppet warehouse. Our two hour intervi...

Back in March, I approached and photographed Bob Baker at his Theater in Echo Park for my blog entry  "Bob Baker and His Magical Marionettes"  which focused on the history and evolution of this Los Angeles legend. My fascination was piqued when his assistant and fellow puppeteer Alex Evans had mentioned their workshop where the Marionettes where made and stored. I jumped at the chance to dig a bit deeper into the making of these amazing objects of Art. Every inch of these Marionettes are made by hand and the labor of love that goes into making them shines through. Bob once again graciously gave his time to conduct the following interview which allows us a peek inside his workshop and look into his amazing life. For the love of all things made by hand, Julie Pavlowski Green September 13, 2014 Subscribe to our mailing list   Julie Pavlowski Green: Were all your Marionette’s made here in your Los Angeles workshop? Bob Baker: Yes but som...

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater was born in 1960 and is considered the longest running puppet theater in America. With an inventory of over 3,000 puppets he has created over the years,  Mr. Baker continues to entertain and delight his audience for over 50 years.  What makes Mr. Baker's marionettes literally stand out is that he brought them down from the stage and into the audience! With the puppeteer dressed in black, they make the strings dance and weave, bringing the marionettes to life right in front of your eyes. What could be more magical? Currently in its 54th season, the theater company continues with " Fun with Strings! " which runs every Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm. The puppet show, featuring Jack Frost, the Snow Queen, Chili Dog, The Balloon Clown and over 100 additional marionettes Mr. Baker has created, is "a wondrous journey with many magical stops along the way"! Bob Baker began to create toy marionettes in 1945 while still a student ...